World Series of Fighting 5 Results: Arlovski Edges Kyle in Heavyweight War

Heavyweights Andrei Arlovski and Mike Kyle entertained the crowd at New Jersey’s Revel Atlantic City on Saturday with a back-and-forth battle in the main event of World Series of Fighting 5.

Kyle landed early, knocking Arlovski to the canvas. Arlovski weathered the storm and worked his way back to his feet where his right hand began to find a home. He scored a knockdown late in the round and landed a hard shot as Kyle tried to stand.

The two exchanged in the second round with both landing shots. Kyle looked to get the fight to the ground but Arlovski defended the takedown attempt.

In the third, Arlovski complained about an eye poke but referee Dan Miragliotta ruled that Kyle hit him with a closed fist. Kyle landed a right hand that sent Arlovski to the canvas for the second time in the fight, but Arlovski immediately bounced back to his feet. For the remainder of the round, Arlovski moved forward landing his jab and leg kicks.

In the end, Arlovski was awarded a unanimous decision victory with all three judges’ scorecards read 29-28.

In the event’s co-main event, David Branch advanced to the finals of the four-man middleweight tournament with a unanimous decision win over Danillo Villefort.

Branch utilized his wrestling to take Villefort down and control him from there throughout the fight. With the win, Branch earned the right to fight for the World Series of Fighting’s inaugural middleweight title. His opponent will be announced at a later date.

Submission specialist Rolles Gracie employed a surprising striking strategy against Derrick Mehman and had some success with it in the opening round but paid for it in the second.

In the second round, Mehmen landed a clean right hand that resulted in Gracie falling awkwardly, spinning around and flopping face-first on the canvas.

The bout between Elvis Mutapcic and Jesse Taylor was scratched from the card after a New Jersey Athletic Control Board official allegedly witnessed Mutapcic swallow prescription medication prior to the fight.

“There were some prescriptions that weren’t given to our doctors during the physicals and that weren’t approved by us, the commission,” said a commission representative. “So since we don’t know what they are and what they do, we cancelled the fight.”

Mutapcic denied ingesting anything.

“I’ve got nothing in my system,” he said. I’m completely clean.”

World Series of Fighting president Ray Sefo said both Mutapcic and Taylor will receive their show money for the fight.